


They Say Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

by Shi_Toyu



Series: Painsgiving - November 2018 [29]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Awesome Laura Barton, BAMF Laura Barton, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Clint Barton Needs a Hug, Divorce, F/M, Feels, Hurt Clint Barton, Hurt Laura Barton, Laura Barton Feels, Letters, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Painsgiving, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Laura Barton
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 13:42:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17623454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shi_Toyu/pseuds/Shi_Toyu
Summary: Laura writes Clint a letter.





	They Say Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

**Author's Note:**

> Day 29: "I love you."

My dearest Clint,

Natasha came by long enough to tell us what had happened and that she was going to have to disappear as well. She assured me she could get this letter to you, though. I assume she is going to join you wherever you and the others are hiding. I don’t know where that is, and I don’t want to know. I’m sorry, Clint, but I’ve had enough.

When we got married, I knew we would never be able to have a normal relationship. I knew what it meant to be with an agent of SHIELD; that you wouldn’t be able to be here all the time, that protecting our country and our planet would outweigh being with your wife or your children. I’ve never held that against you. When you were here, you were  _here_. You didn’t bring your work home with you and you did everything you could to keep us safe. I understood that. It was frustrating at times, but I understood it.

I’ve never doubted your love for me or our children. It would be impossible to, seeing the way your face lit up every time you came home. I was content to have you for however long I could and then let you go off again. Even if you couldn’t tell me where you were going, I knew you were doing it for a good reason and that you’d do whatever it took to come home. I don’t know where along the line that changed, but it has.

You told me it was over, that you were through. You said you were retiring and that you were going to stay with us and be the husband and father we deserved. I  _believed_  you, and that’s probably why it hurt so much when you left again. If it were another alien invasion, maybe I could understand, but you were supposed to finally be  _ours_ , Clint. You said Captain America needed you, but did you stop to think that maybe  _we_  needed you, too? You gave us everything we’d always wanted and then you took it away again.

I love you, Clint, but I’m not putting our children through that another time. And I don’t know that I’ll be able to believe you if you say it won’t. I’m sorry, but I’ve decided to file for a divorce. Since you’re absent and a fugitive of the law, I can have it approved without your presence. Whenever you decide it’s time to come home, Clint, don’t bother coming to the farm. We won’t be there.

Goodbye, love,

Laura


End file.
